Header$type=social_icons

Commute Chronicles - Amsterdam - Off the Beaten Path in Plantage and the Great GPS Hunt

I've been to Amsterdam a number of times so my heart quickens just a bit when I have the opportunity to get off the beaten path and see a new part of the city. I was staying in Rembrandtplein for the business portion of my trip (tourist central!) but my meetings were taking place in Plantage. Where is that? It's to the East of Rembrandtplein across the Amstel River.

I got up extra early and decided to walk to the venue rather than taking the chartered bus provided. The 20 minute walk was very welcome now that the weather had turned gorgeous after the torrential rains of the weekend. I crossed the Amstel River...

Ornate lampposts were run through by dramatic ships.

The other side of the river was much like Amsterdam Central with lots of narrow canal houses lining the streets. I liked this one particular specimen that was filled with globes.

I crossed a drawbridge...

...and found myself near the botanical gardens. Too bad that I was there too early and they weren't open yet.

I also passed the Natura Artis Magistra (aka the Amsterdam Zoo). From the road, I was able to peek in and see this flock of pink flamingos. I would have considered popping in for a visit if I'd had more time and if it there wasn't a 20 EUR entry fee. That is crazy expensive for a zoo in my opinion. I like the set-up in Lyon much better where the zoo is free and accessible by strolling through a large public park.

I was actually still a bit early so I took a stroll in Oosterpark which was situated out back.

A little bunny hopped into view.

A small wooden bridge crossed over the lake in the center of the park with signs pointing out the four directions of the compass in Dutch.

I headed back toward the Tropenmuseum.

One thing I noticed on this trip is that the Dutch like their public wading pools and they feature all sorts of fun play features like this rainbow slide and clown.

I made my way inside the Tropenmuseum.

The architecture on the interior was stunning with ornately decorated stucco ceilings.

The central reception hall soared for three stories.

Gilded chandeliers dropped from the ceiling.

Serious countenanced busts sat in alcoves in the corners.

Art panels lined the walls just below the roof.

Each of the rooms was decorated in a different motif. One room was richly colored and ornately painted.

After our morning meetings were over, it was time for a bit of outdoor fun! Our group did a tablet-based GPS hunt. We followed a map to a location and once we were there, questions were unlocked. Depending on how fast we answered, we scored some points and were given our next coordinates. It was actually decent fun but the questions often had nothing to do with the locations we were in. We'd get the question, research the answer online, and move on. I would have preferred if the answer could be derived from the location we were in. Still, it was a good excuse for a walk around Amsterdam where we saw a family of swans...

...ducks basking in the sun...

... and the gorgeous canal homes that make Amsterdam have such a unique feel.

We also crossed a wide range of canals.

My favorite part was looking at the small details like this goat placard...